


(I'm not) Getting Married

by starbreather



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Violence, hurt!Alec, lack of tolerance (again)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-08
Updated: 2018-01-08
Packaged: 2019-03-02 00:13:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,513
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13306320
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starbreather/pseuds/starbreather
Summary: Alec and Magnus once again try to expand the rights for downworlders and shadowhunters. It doesn't go well.





	(I'm not) Getting Married

**Author's Note:**

> Parts of this are based of in shadowhunter academy in BoTEN. mostly just deriving from when Magnus said that he didn't want to get married til they could get married in gold (aka shadowhunters accept downworlders as equals)

“Hurry up Magnus,” Alec said as he adjusted the watch on his wrist. “We’re going to be late at this rate.” 

He stood in front of the loft’s door, waiting for his partner to accompany him before leaving. Alec didn’t tap his foot with impatience like others did and it was something that Magnus had always appreciated. Despite him often being late to events, Alec never grew angry with him and that was one vow that he hoped they kept if they got married. Once they were able to of course. 

Magnus, however, was staring into their mirror, giving his makeup a lookover once more before exiting and walking towards his lover. 

“I apologize, darling,” Magnus said as he entered the lobby area and Alec opened the door. “It takes a lot of work to maintain this,” he finished as he motioned to in his general area. 

“It’s better to be good and on time than perfect and late,” the young shadowhunter scolded although Magnus could feel his eyes running up and down his body shamelessly. (Not that Magnus wasn’t doing the same thing, Alec looked stunning in his suit.)

Magnus rolled his eyes in response. “It’s a party, Alexander, not a meeting.”

Magnus tried to mention this lightly. The event they were attending was a party, but it was a party that had some of the most influential people of the shadow world in attendance,the High Warlock of Brooklyn and the Head of the New York Institute included. Magnus wasn’t a stranger to the occasion, they generally had one every year or so, but this was the first time they had included shadowhunters. Alec was evidently making history. 

Alec ushered him out the door, softly pressing his hands onto the small of Magnus’ back. 

“You know very well how important this party could be for us, for downworlders and shadowhunters alike,” he said, a hint of worry in his voice.

At this Magnus grabbed Alec’s hand, feeling the need to hold him close, kiss him gently. He’d learned how to be casual though. 

“For shadowhunters and downworlders together.” He gripped his hand tighter. “For us,” he breathed as they went down the stairs.

Magnus watched as Alec exhaled gently and loosened his shoulders.

“I could just make a portal you know, much more simple and timely that way.”

Alec shook his head. “It’s only a little further, I’d rather not make a grand appearance in the face of everyone we’ll be with tonight. Let’s just arrive as an average couple.”

“If we must,” Magnus sighed and his tone turned playful. “I hope your happy, love, I’m not average for very many people.”

Alec whistled appreciatively and discontented his hand to let it travel down his partner’s back. “Trust me, I know that better than most.”

Magnus batted him on the shoulder. “It’s hard to believe that you’re really part angel sometimes.”

A look of innocence was plastered onto his face. “I have no idea what you mean.”

“Sure Alec, sure.”

The pair continued walking down block after block until they eventually reached the location of the party, a wide beautifully decorated building that was covered with accents of navy and shimmering gold. Everything, Magnus was sure, was glamoured to mundanes. The sheer wonder of the event would attract far to many people and when the fey were involved the only way to disguise the event would be with a costume party and Magnus Bane did not go to Halloween themed parties outside of October. It simply wasn’t dignified. 

They walked up the stairs beside each other, almost close enough for their bodies to brush together and, once their names were checked on the guest list, they entered through the grand doors into the main building. The inside rivaled the outside for beauty. It adorned mainly white decorations and was actually highly populated for how exclusive the event had appeared to be. 

Magnus extended the crook of his arm to Alec and they linked together and they walked into the sea of elegant faces and fabrics. Magnus smiled gently at his boyfriend’s still worried expression and Alec did his best to return the gesture. 

It wasn’t long before they were approached by another warlock with lime-tinted skin, one that Magnus only had a faint recollection on. He was barely able to draw a name before they were shaking hands. 

“Calvin,” he said, “it’s been too long.”

“I’d have to agree, Magnus,” he replied. His eyes traveled to the left of Magnus and took in his companion. “And who is this?” 

“My boyfriend, Alexander,” Magnus said, firmly, as if daring him to question his presence. To question him for dating a shadowhunter. 

Distaste was obvious in Calvin’s emerald eyes but he said nothing further on the matter only grabbed two drinks as a server traveled past them. Giving one to Magnus and sipping out of the other. Although Alec said nothing on the matter, Magnus could hardly accept such blatant rudeness. He quickly excused both of them from the conversation and soon they were once again by themselves. 

Magnus sipped his drink experimentally and was surprised by the bitter taste he was greeted with. He lowered the thin glass and turned to Alec.

“Was that an old friend?” his partner asked lightly, standing with his arm at his sides. 

“Something like that,” Magnus replied. “After so many years there are some faces that I can barely recognize,” he sighed, “and certainly some that I don’t miss.”

“Yes, I feel like we’ll be seeing quite a few of those tonight.”

Magnus frowned slightly. “Hopefully the rest will be more courteous than Calvin.”

“Is Catarina here, I wouldn’t mind seeing her?”

“No.” he shook his head. “She’s not really one for… social gatherings, she’d rather continue with work. Especially considering that certain downworlders here are rather pompous.”

“And likely untrustworthy,” Alec said gesturing to the Seelie in the room, thankfully there weren’t many fair folk in the room. It was hard to distinguish which of them would truly have belonged in the party when the Seelie Court composed the entire realm, not just New York.

“Yes,” Magnus said with a thread of concern weaved into his voice. “I know that you’re excited for this darling, and I know how much this could mean for our people but please be cautious. You’re the only shadowhunter here and this could very well be a trap.” 

Alec looked down into Magnus’ eyes, holding his gaze as he spoke. “I know and I’m not getting my hopes up. I just- maybe I’m being dumb imagining that this all works out well somehow, maybe I should consider myself lucky if I make it out of here in one piece, but I want to be able to picture an end of this night were our people are closer to understanding each other than before. Closer to understanding us.”

“I love you,” Magnus replied and straightened his spine until he was able to reach his lover’s lips, peeking lightly on them. 

As they broke up form their affection music began to play, kind and classic. Dancing music. 

Alec looked around as pairs began to break off and bodies came closer together and swayed “I had no idea this was a romantic affair.”

“It seems as though have another lesson to teach you.”

The shadowhunter’s eyebrows quirked upwards. “Nothing too intense I hope, you know I can’t dance properly Magnus.”

“There’s always time to change.”

Despite his talk Magnus simply placed his hands onto Alec’s shoulder and hip, lovingly but firm, and allowed them to move back in forth in a gentle fashion, they copied the mood of many of those around them. The pair continued this action until the music inevitably picked up and another admittley pretty woman came and placed her hand onto Magnus’. 

“Excuse me,” the woman said, her blue eyes dazzling with her dark skin, “I don’t mind to intrude but could I bother you with a dance.” 

Magnus was not exactly startled, this was not a rare occasion to happen to him but it was quite obvious that he was happily taken. However, before he could politely decline, Alec disengaged his body from Magnus’, drawing back into himself. 

“It’s alright, I have to go to the bathroom anyway,” he excused himself and Magnus couldn’t tell if he was being truthful or just making a convenient reply.

As Alec disappeared into the crowd Magnus was swept up amongst them, just another body in a swarm of them. The music now was more free and although he couldn’t deny that he was enjoying himself, the nagging voice in the back of his head that spoke of his boyfriend and danger would not be silenced. 

After another minute passed by he couldn’t help but let his eyes scan the room, looking for Alec. 

A few moments later the music cut off suddenly, as if silenced by someone, and everyone’s attention was drawn towards the front of the room where a grand stage was. 

Besides the musicians being placed there another man was standing on the stage waiting everyone’s eyes to be drawn to him, as if he was giving a presentation. The stairs that led to the stage were blocked off and one of them was occupied by a woman dragging a struggling man up onto the surface. The person being brought on was one that Magnus would have instantly recognized anywhere.

“Alec,” he said as he exhaled and took no more time to begin racing to the front of the room, leaving the woman he was with behind even as she tried to grab his wrist. 

“Take note,” the man at the front of the said, “that tonight a shadowhunter is among us, as if he is our equal. A man whose species desecrate the downworld thinks that he can be among us.” 

Magnus is now at the stage close enough so the man can hear him. “What kind of fucking game do you think this is!” he says drawing his hands up in an attempt to draw magic to him. Except, even as he tries to strike out against the woman holding Alec up, nothing happens, not even a glimmer of power radiates off him. 

He looked down at his hands in confusion before a voice behind him laughs starkly. He turns and sees Calvin and puts the pieces together: the drink he had been handed earlier, the bitter taste and disgust in his old acquaintances’ eyes. 

Magnus swears that he’ll take care of him later, once the concoction they tricked him into drinking wears off and he can unleash his whole force but his concern right now is saving Alec. 

Alec’s face is already bloodied and although he’s standing, Magnus can't help but feel it’s only because he’s being held up by the woman next to him. The pants leg of his dark suit looks damp and is pressed against his skin, his leg, held at an awkward angle, seems as if it’s already been injured as well.

The man pressed on. “We invited this Nephilim,” he spat out the word, “here today because we thought it would be fun to have a bit of entertainment.” With this he cast his arms out and red magic flies towards Alec who crumples to the ground with a yell of pain and Magnus aches the sound of it. 

“Stop,” Magnus cried out, “you don’t need to do this.”

At this the showman laughed. ‘It didn’t occur to me that we had another among us who was… involved with this thing.” He extenuates the last word by letting a kick hit Alec, who's already fallen onto the surface of the stage. 

“Please.” Magnus is not beneath begging at this point, he knows he can’t fight strong magic users without any powers of his own. “If you want entertainment we can give it to you. Give us the chance to escape and you can- you can chase us.”

The man’s eyes light up, greeted with an unforeseen chance of excitement. He hungirly scanned the crowd, reading the faces of his guests to see their response to Magnus’ proposition. Magnus doesn’t dare look, he’s too scared of what he’ll see either way. 

“Very well, we’ll play.”   
.   
.  
Alec felt tired. Blood loss was making everything feel light and he could barely register his surrounding anymore. All he could comprehend was that he was walking down a hallway, or at least he was being tugged along and held up as his feet moved. 

The hands holding him up were just as familiar as the voice that accompanied. The primary item wasn’t being very gentle though. He was jostled as they moved and he hissed in pain, feeling the need to let out a whine after a few minutes. 

“Please be quiet, darling,” the voice spoke softly, like Alec was a secret that he needed to keep within the walls of the hallway they were in. He recognized the voice as Magnus’, was sure that he’d always know the sound of him, the feel of his hands against his sides, but still couldn’t formulate a sense of what was happening. 

“What’s happening?” Alec asked, voice slurred, and the pressure of Magnus’ hands on his side and his right shoulder tightened substantially. He was dragged into the side of the wall, pressed both against the building and another warm body that could only be distinguished as Magnus’, and although Alec’s senses were dulled by pain, he could hear several sets of footsteps traveling near them and he released another pained whine.

“Mags,” he whined, “hurts.”

“I know,” the voice whispered softly into the side of his face, “I’m sorry baby.”

Alec could feel the heat of harsh breathing and only know did he stop to wonder if Magnus was also injured. He opened his mouth to ask but a hand clamped firmly over his lips, sufficiently cutting off his words. Alec didn’t fight it though, he remembered now that he’d been asked to be quiet. 

The footsteps died out as do the maniacally laughs and jeers that accompanied them and Magnus lets out a quick sigh of relief beside him before they continue their path forwards. 

It’s not until they reach a door that Alec realized that they had been heading to the back of the building this whole time, searching for an exit that would have gone undetected by whoever it is they’re hiding from

Cold air greets them once they get outside and the body beside in all but collapses in on itself, relieved and pained. 

“Oh, God, Alec- oh God- I can’t believe we made it out of there.” His hands go up to cup Alec’s cheeks. “We need to get you to the Institute, darling. C’mon , we have to get moving again.”

Alec still can’t quite understand what all is happening, but, when he’s will Magnus, he can’t thankful as well.  
.  
.  
Magnus looked at Alec’s face, bloodied and exhausted, his body still leaning heavily against his, and wondered if they’ll ever get married.

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading!!


End file.
